tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-673285176740552892024-03-12T19:51:08.303-07:00Midtown ShakeMichael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-77074552370977601652014-01-26T15:06:00.000-08:002014-01-26T15:09:37.498-08:002013 to 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DUoZ3Xav47UxaRWw8_67tHQBkahahqDFCgwvtXo4mAt4vKIWiJchM5sfF9eCZL5hDzG06TL7eT1uJs-smijkNmNwn4pwIFGHakk_0JBPMZ6j8biI-2PUeCNJvZGvh9yJpgxYNuruiGY/s1600/IMG_3941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_DUoZ3Xav47UxaRWw8_67tHQBkahahqDFCgwvtXo4mAt4vKIWiJchM5sfF9eCZL5hDzG06TL7eT1uJs-smijkNmNwn4pwIFGHakk_0JBPMZ6j8biI-2PUeCNJvZGvh9yJpgxYNuruiGY/s400/IMG_3941.JPG" /></a></div>
The past year has been a blur of tasting new spirits, playing with them and designing new drinks with them. There are few things that are as engaging to me as tasting something new & exciting. My brain starts whirling with ideas of flavor combinations. Something that I've been thinking about lately is underused or poorly used spirits such as sherry & "moonshine" or rather un-aged whiskey. Recently I was hired to cook & plan a paella dinner for a group of friends that were all celebrating their birthdays. Instead of just serving wines I thought it would be really unique & special to do a cocktail using a very Spanish ingredient & a few non-Spanish ingredients. I started with a base of <a href="http://gonzalezbyass.com/en/">Gonzalez Byass Oloroso Seco</a> made from the Palomino grape. It's nutty, spicy, earthy & very dry. Next I added <a href="http://www.prichardsdistillery.com/">Prichard's</a> Lincoln County Lightning which is an un-aged whiskey & in my opinion one of the best on the market. It's sweet & savory all at once. It needed some rounding out with a little herbaceousness & bitterness so I chose <a href="http://imbuecellars.com/petal-thorn">Imbue Petal & Thorn</a>. Imbue is the best domestic vermouth producer in my opinion. They start with a base of Oregon white wine, blend that with barrel aged Oregon pinot gris brandy & then infuse that with botanicals. The Petal & Thorn is tinted a beautiful bronze/rust/blush color with the addition of fresh beets. I love that. Next I added in a little Luxardo Limoncello & a few drops of my very own <a href="http://bigriverbitters.com/">Big River Bitters</a>. It had everything I wanted in a cocktail; savory, hint of sweet, acid, bitterness & a unique hint of that warm haunting note that sherry gives. I've named it "A Night In Jerez". Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-65568293531992736082013-05-20T08:35:00.000-07:002013-05-20T08:35:16.495-07:00New Cocktail List AlertI've been busy experimenting with spirits, creating bitters, & designing drinks for a friend's restaurant. I love that she is such a avid supporter of local farms & distilleries. Needless to say it's been fun making drinks for her & getting feedback. Why am I being so vague? Well the list isn't finalized yet so I'd hate to let the cat out of the bag. I'll let her do that. I'm a big fan of gin & whiskey so it's always interesting trying to set my own tastes aside so that the list can be what it needs to be. It needs to appeal to drink lovers but also those that maybe don't understand or seek out the most exotic of cocktails or spirits. There is a sweet spot in which the cocktails as a whole need to be in. There should be something for every type of drinker. While I may be a big gin fan perhaps there are others who aren't. However, the drinks could also be a conversation starter about different spirits. It should be fun & interesting. I am lucky that I get to play with spirits. Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-79562752622433945112013-01-21T09:51:00.000-08:002013-01-21T09:51:28.647-08:00Iron Shaker at Hog & Hominy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I am not going to apologize for allowing life & profession get in the way of my posting...ok ok I'm sorry. I am sure all 3 of you who read this had better things to do anyway.
Yesterday was the Iron Shaker cocktail competition pitting some of the mid south's best professional cocktail enthusiasts against each other in a secret ingredient matchup a la Iron Chef or Chopped. Nick Talarico from Hog & Hominy/AMIK, Jayce McConnell from SnackBar in Oxford, Anna Katherine Metzger from 12Bar & yours truly along with Shawn Mitchell of Sweetgrass threw down in a most spirited way. You can view some great pictures <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/397397590349378/?fref=ts">here</a>.
<blockquote></blockquote>Our Welcome cocktail was our spin on a Blood & Sand
<blockquote></blockquote>Bearded Bittermen's Blood & Sand
<blockquote></blockquote><i>Corsair Triple Smoke Whiskey</i>
<blockquote></blockquote><i>Rothman & Winter Cherry Liqueur</i>
<blockquote></blockquote><i>Byrrh QuinQuina</i>
<blockquote></blockquote><i>Fresh squeezed Blood orange juice
<blockquote></blockquote>Luxardo Maraschino Liqueur
<blockquote></blockquote>Fee Brother's Orange bitters
<blockquote></blockquote>garnished with Triple Smoke laced candied blood orange peel & a Luxardo cherry</i>
<blockquote></blockquote>Nick's welcome cocktail definitely had Apple Cider vinegar in it & it was delicious. I can't recall what else was in it. I wish I would have had a chance to taste the other competitors drinks but I did not.
<blockquote></blockquote>Our secret ingredients were fresh duck eggs, meyer lemons, rosewater, Blis Bourbon barrel aged fish sauce, Pig Sweat (sherry vinegar, salt & sugar) & Corsair Quinoa whiskey. Wow. That was some crazy stuff! Between Shawn & I we both were thinking that we needed to use as much of the secret ingredients as possible. After a quick brain storm & even quicker drink creation we had it nailed.
<blockquote></blockquote> War Pig
<blockquote></blockquote><i>Corsair Quinoa Whiskey
<blockquote></blockquote>Meyer lemon juice
<blockquote></blockquote>St Elizabeth's Allspice Dram
<blockquote></blockquote>Blis Bourbon Barrel aged fish sauce
<blockquote></blockquote>Homemade Benton Bacon Bitters
<blockquote></blockquote>Fee Brother's Aztec Chocolate Bitters
<blockquote></blockquote>Duck egg white
<blockquote></blockquote>Meyer lemon zest
<blockquote></blockquote>Rosewater
<blockquote></blockquote>Segura Viudas Cava</i>
<blockquote></blockquote>As you can see it is a play off a traditional fizz. We garnished the drink with meyer lemon zest & a few drops of rosewater. It had umami, it was savory, sweet, earthy, tart & just so cool! I was super proud of the drinks we put out. Congrats to all the competitors especially Hog & Hominy who took home top honors & SnackBar for coming up from Oxford to participate.
<blockquote></blockquote>On to the next Iron Shaker!
Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-31810385396638691502012-03-27T19:33:00.000-07:002012-03-27T19:33:39.615-07:00Celebrate the Anniversary of the End<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3g780eCipSGwkQjcB7X8MNXDwkzRAjgZWZ7z3QMXPZa2huwY4ro7zfyhTAANw1iIkGoE0z3gs5hHhyF16p6aeFAd2hOEQWKEMHWdLZvDQQFH7PqBv7CeHOOTJVtP9OHPB1DyBvsbKLE/s1600/fee+bro.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="310" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM3g780eCipSGwkQjcB7X8MNXDwkzRAjgZWZ7z3QMXPZa2huwY4ro7zfyhTAANw1iIkGoE0z3gs5hHhyF16p6aeFAd2hOEQWKEMHWdLZvDQQFH7PqBv7CeHOOTJVtP9OHPB1DyBvsbKLE/s400/fee+bro.jpg" /></a></div>Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-33693669204768844572012-03-19T09:12:00.000-07:002012-03-19T09:12:05.502-07:00Smoke & Mirrors<a href="http://andrewmichaelitaliankitchen.com/AMIK/">Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen </a>is one of my favorite restaurants in Memphis or any other city for that matter. The chefs are uber-talented, the staff is top notch & everyone is so incredibly nice! Nick Talarico, the manager, has been bitten by the cocktail bug. I love going in there & discussing drinks with him because we are both on the same page. He's making tinctures, experimenting with bitters, has a japanese ice mold & god knows what else up his sleeve. While dining at AMIK last Saturday he brought us out his latest cocktail creation. A gin martini made with lemonade & bitters. Sounds pretty simple right? Not at all in fact. He smoked the lemons low & slow which imparted this foxy smokiness that contrasted against the botanics in the gin & the sweetness in the lemonade. It was lovely & very unique. Next time you are at AMIK don't worry about making decisions on drinks. Just give Nick or one of the bartenders free reign & I assure you they will concoct something delicious.Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-24729688018708122582012-01-29T07:34:00.000-08:002012-01-29T07:34:17.593-08:00ElevatedI know I have been adamant about taking that extra step when crafting a cocktail. One important component is garnish. I've already discussed how to create good cocktail cherries <a href="http://midtownshake.blogspot.com/2012/01/poached-in-booze.html">here</a>.
<blockquote></blockquote>I gave some to my very good friend Justin who promptly ate some & used them for whiskey drinks. Anyone who knows Justin understands his obsession with all things whisky. Justin is one of the most amazing people & I love the guy dearly. He's an incredibly talented artist as witness to the beautiful photo below that he sent me.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pMktXARzf9UlxMREPZtCUkBDwu_PutfhNQUCwp_jTB1fGYkZ57R-4onpNObMzc9DvBd3hG4gEqfyboazMoTqHdyS5jDEEMiuDnupkwoDMURKEZQmlTMuiiI1LVuPJ_uYgiwr0s3Xbl4/s1600/Rye+manhattan_3046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="400" width="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3pMktXARzf9UlxMREPZtCUkBDwu_PutfhNQUCwp_jTB1fGYkZ57R-4onpNObMzc9DvBd3hG4gEqfyboazMoTqHdyS5jDEEMiuDnupkwoDMURKEZQmlTMuiiI1LVuPJ_uYgiwr0s3Xbl4/s400/Rye+manhattan_3046.jpg" /></a></div>
<blockquote></blockquote>What he has here is a play off a manhattan with Rye whiskey, a bit of the elixir from my cherries & garnished with the cherries themselves.
<blockquote></blockquote>Delicious no?Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-955765652116216072012-01-10T07:18:00.000-08:002012-01-10T07:18:14.524-08:00Fee Brothers Bitters ArrivesYes I am obsessed. But that isn't the point of this post. I'm here to tell you that one of the best bitters producers in the world (<a href="http://feebrothers.com/Product.asp?Category=5">Fee Brothers</a>) is now available in Memphis! From what I know they will begin stocking the Orange Bitters at <a href="http://www.litsupply.com/">Lit Restaurant Supply</a> as of this Wednesday. While they may only have the Orange bitters stocked they might be open to stocking more different Fee Brothers bitters if they see demand. So go down there, call, write, whatever, & tell them you want the full lineup! Buy up the Orange bitters & ask for more such as the Rhubarb, Celery, etc.
<blockquote></blockquote>Cheers!Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-48113136081812531702012-01-09T12:37:00.000-08:002012-01-09T12:37:19.534-08:00Blood Orange Bitters BeginsIt's blood orange season!!
<blockquote></blockquote>Of course that means a whole new set of cocktail ideas. Since I am a firm believer in bitters as a vital component in drinks I decided to start an infusion for blood orange bitters.
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Start with a clean glass container & some blood oranges.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZWPFNmDW_3GftUL1D5Ovp2Nk9NSSGqXGevpl_B157gUcncmwVePPIh-nVYBvaILxtNyelVAQZF93SNPEjipj4mDKfcXi_wuI1c8BL8bHtaSIv3x9YiwMZj18lURf9Z8nPD1GRdMQjak/s1600/blood+orange+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ZWPFNmDW_3GftUL1D5Ovp2Nk9NSSGqXGevpl_B157gUcncmwVePPIh-nVYBvaILxtNyelVAQZF93SNPEjipj4mDKfcXi_wuI1c8BL8bHtaSIv3x9YiwMZj18lURf9Z8nPD1GRdMQjak/s400/blood+orange+2.jpg" /></a></div>
Choose a spirit to infuse the oranges into. I chose to use a little bit of silver tequila (for spice, herbaceousness & vegetal characteristics) & vodka (for neutrality so as not to get in the way of the blood orange flavor).
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRd0CZ1a19MM7uVDlU0WjFeT_D0WSftkxpr2-7e1ptPDwC_yNv4zQPHiRLHOTIiDuK4PQe-TYIDMq5evfttSiGroci6iF0bOcByf6fCLVg9GGhN7s-13POZ-S2TGi6mSPWlQe3iq9G7qM/s1600/blood+orange+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRd0CZ1a19MM7uVDlU0WjFeT_D0WSftkxpr2-7e1ptPDwC_yNv4zQPHiRLHOTIiDuK4PQe-TYIDMq5evfttSiGroci6iF0bOcByf6fCLVg9GGhN7s-13POZ-S2TGi6mSPWlQe3iq9G7qM/s400/blood+orange+3.jpg" /></a></div>
Slice off the peel (but little to no white pith if possible) of two oranges with a vegetable peeler & add that to the container.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALvlqfa9td_9KIVwcp2FsUmZJcFrqENx73o_dIAWuVpX_SfePGOeWUdIdKiKDqVMSDv4ICu1tAez27RrT-ysyQOyPvMuYcDJxfJIaoaYnonv9Te-vCQh60gTqZ5Kxk9m9PVqf0lp6mBk/s1600/blood+orange+4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiALvlqfa9td_9KIVwcp2FsUmZJcFrqENx73o_dIAWuVpX_SfePGOeWUdIdKiKDqVMSDv4ICu1tAez27RrT-ysyQOyPvMuYcDJxfJIaoaYnonv9Te-vCQh60gTqZ5Kxk9m9PVqf0lp6mBk/s400/blood+orange+4.jpg" /></a></div>
Fill 1/4 of the container with silver tequila (I used El Ultimo Agave Blanco). Add the juice of one blood orange & top the container off with vodka (I used Svedka). Screw the lid on tight, shake it up & label it. Wait at least 2 weeks & then we will get to blending with the bitter agent.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxZb5KIt98N8k0KjX6rJ0_zh3WwqPJwbaohiIEWy0MIlUjMwmIpH0vFP3iw3kPqhcWEvP-vK1-0YfOroqPjjnrIAtncKuTBKWkQpcpXkX2JEcT6dQ8BPcM963aFcC-2XVr_MhukM_HPU/s1600/blood+orange+5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxZb5KIt98N8k0KjX6rJ0_zh3WwqPJwbaohiIEWy0MIlUjMwmIpH0vFP3iw3kPqhcWEvP-vK1-0YfOroqPjjnrIAtncKuTBKWkQpcpXkX2JEcT6dQ8BPcM963aFcC-2XVr_MhukM_HPU/s400/blood+orange+5.jpg" /></a></div>Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-38985515192578907492012-01-07T19:46:00.000-08:002012-01-07T19:46:38.846-08:00Bitter is BetterWe just got home from a nice quiet little dinner. It was time for a nightcap so I went into our bar to see what would inspire. I saw Chartreuse (from our friends Petya & Kyle), Salerno Blood Orange Liqueur (from our friend Tara) & some 209 gin. I coated & washed 2 glasses with the Chartreuse & set those aside. In a shaker I added 2 oz of Punt e Mes vermouth, 3 oz of 209 gin, 2 dashes of Fee Brothers Grapefruit bitters, 2 dashes of Regan's Orange bitters & 1 oz of Salerno Blood Orange. I shook that up, poured it into the iced down, Chartreuse washed glasses & garnished that with a flamed lemon peel. Bitter, sweet, pungent & refreshing.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWRR4yCoS35sIBsn2LXbrPnzoV31F7AfJ-TUblwajr7pPy9ev89B5C_N4OQ16vzBFi8iTaQ99AHbpp8Ia2nQl2FCWS-Ep7VixeSllLqv7fo5xHHNU-d2mkCzBHAkGH8BXmkyf3_dJDJU/s1600/bitter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoWRR4yCoS35sIBsn2LXbrPnzoV31F7AfJ-TUblwajr7pPy9ev89B5C_N4OQ16vzBFi8iTaQ99AHbpp8Ia2nQl2FCWS-Ep7VixeSllLqv7fo5xHHNU-d2mkCzBHAkGH8BXmkyf3_dJDJU/s400/bitter.jpg" /></a></div>Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-87721633617617638532012-01-06T18:01:00.000-08:002012-01-06T18:01:21.069-08:00Poached in BoozeThere is no excuse to use those HIDEOUS "maraschino" cherries that are nuclear red & soaking in corn syrup. It's incredibly easy to make uniquely delicious cocktail garnishes with very little effort. I've been experimenting with garnishes for awhile now. My first foray into it was comprised of dried cherries soaked in brandy. It worked pretty well & they were quite delicious. However, it wasn't enough for me so I continued to experiment. More recently I had some more successful garnishes. In the summer when cherries were fresh Kelly & I bought a whole hell of a lot. I poached them in Buffalo Trace Bourbon & Rothman & Winter's Cherry Liqueur. They turned out perfect! The fresh snap of fruit with the sweet heat potency of the elixir was so delightful in a manhattan & in some gin based drinks too.
<blockquote></blockquote>When cherry season was over I turned to organic frozen cherries. I poached them in a mixture of Benchmark Bourbon & Luxardo Maraschino liqueur. Absolutely delightful.
<blockquote></blockquote>One garnish that I am very proud of are the blueberries I recently made. In a pan I warmed Don Q silver rum & the zest of one meyer lemon. As soon as it came to a simmer I turned it off & dropped in the blueberries. They cured in the warm rum & zest & leached out some nice purple color from the skins. Once it cooled I dropped them in jars & set them in the fridge. I gave a jar to my friend Dustin last weekend when we stopped by for brunch at his house....ok we stayed for hours drinking mimosas. After a few mimosas it was time for a proper cocktail. I wanted to do something with the blueberries of course. In the bottom of a rocks glasses I added 3 blueberries, a teaspoon of the elixir, a slice of orange & Angostura bitters. After muddling that all together I topped it with Gentleman Jack, crushed ice & a splash of club soda.
<blockquote></blockquote> What I came up with was a slight twist on an Old Fashioned & it was exactly what the doctor ordered.
<blockquote></blockquote>Throw those disgusting "maraschino" cherries away & add something delicious to your drink!Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-70285275308519483522012-01-05T18:27:00.000-08:002012-01-05T18:27:00.490-08:00Important IngredientsMaking great cocktails is much like cooking a delicious dish in that it is all about quality ingredients. One overlooked ingredient is vermouth. The integral component to a true martini can add so much to most any drink. My favorite inexpensive vermouth is Dolin. This french vermouth producer makes a Rouge, Dry & Blanc. At $12.99 there is absolutely no excuse not to have them in your home bar. Whenever I sample a spirit to consider for the store (or for my own cocktail consulting) I always taste them straight so as not to mask any imperfections. These vermouths can without a doubt stand alone but they also add so much character to a Boulevardier, Manhattan, Negroni or Death in the Afternoon. Go out & buy some now.
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBX_YEq88aKufBpcS-1lbJkdFTF-l8ku0yn16pUABa3IPh9WipVM02s18Ht0jAcjA6GcH8l_fVDw-ImIsAqbaJCNlRgSgeByMjVs7fgUK0FMK7c6GoTb2enkNzZ91czHizib9W7JjxJ0/s1600/vermouth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="299" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTBX_YEq88aKufBpcS-1lbJkdFTF-l8ku0yn16pUABa3IPh9WipVM02s18Ht0jAcjA6GcH8l_fVDw-ImIsAqbaJCNlRgSgeByMjVs7fgUK0FMK7c6GoTb2enkNzZ91czHizib9W7JjxJ0/s400/vermouth.jpg" /></a></div>Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-72954327900762974112012-01-03T19:05:00.000-08:002012-01-03T19:05:41.999-08:00A Rose in DecemberI bought myself a jar of rose petal jam at Williams-Sonoma recently and I have been dying to create something with it. We had our friends Sheri & Mark over for a little pre-New Year's Eve dinner drink so I used that as an opportunity to experiment. Here is my latest creation.
<blockquote><i>A Rose in December</i></blockquote>
<blockquote>Bar spoon of Rose Petal Jam</blockquote>
<blockquote>2 oz Zuidam Genever (if you can't find Zuidam or genever in general then just use a very botanical gin</blockquote>
<blockquote>1/2 oz lemon juice</blockquote>
<blockquote>1 oz Cocchi Americano</blockquote>
<blockquote>2 dashes Fee Brothers Grapefruit bitters</blockquote>
<blockquote>2 dashes Regan's Orange bitters</blockquote>
<blockquote>Innocent Bystander Rose Moscato</blockquote>
Put all ingredients (except for the moscato) in a shaker & stir vigorously to "melt" the jam into the other ingredients. Add ice & shake. Pour into a rocks glass with, ideally, one large cube. Garnish with a flamed lemon peel & top with the rose moscato. Enjoy!Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-62399398411782524392011-12-21T06:19:00.000-08:002011-12-21T06:19:34.138-08:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<blockquote></blockquote>Every day I preach the virtues of Oregon. Now it's time for Memphis to experience it themselves. Joe's Wines Passport to Oregon will be the best wine tasting event to hit the city. Guaranteed. I've fallen in love with the wines of Oregon because of their heart, soul, passion, uniqueness, sensuality & overall deliciousness.
<blockquote></blockquote>I just found out that both Cornerstone Cellars (pouring their Willamette Valley pinot noir of course) & Domaine Drouhin Oregon have signed on to participate! Domaine Drouhin!
<blockquote></blockquote>You can purchase your tickets at
<blockquote></blockquote>Joe's Wines & Liquors
<blockquote></blockquote>1681 Poplar
<blockquote></blockquote>Memphis, TN 38104
<blockquote></blockquote>901.725.4252Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-14143984366106554112011-12-20T07:16:00.000-08:002011-12-20T07:16:18.818-08:00BoulevardierClassic cocktails are classics for a reason. They stand the taste & test of time. For example, the Boulevardier has been around for a very very long time. Many cocktail aficionados & professionals have been re-examining, reworking & exploring traditional drinks. One of my favorites of old is the Boulevardier which is takeoff of the Negroni. What we have here is the sweetness & spice of bourbon, the bitter earthiness of Campari (or you can sub Aperol) & the rich bittersweet nuances of sweet vermouth. I absolutely adore this drink.Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-20422786955886714252011-12-06T19:10:00.001-08:002011-12-06T19:25:03.996-08:00BittersIn my opinion most drinks need bitters. Think about it. Quite often there have been times where I've tasted a drink & thought "hmmm. There is something missing here." I guarantee what's missing is bitters. A perfect drink is a balanced one & bitters brings balance but also layers of complexity. I've been getting into making my own bitters lately & it's become a bit addictive. So far I've made Allan Benton Bacon bitters, Kaffir Lime Leaf Bitters & Ginger bitters. All I did was infuse wormwood into alcohol for the bittering agent part of the equation. I then infused the flavoring agent into a separate batch of alcohol. After letting them infuse for a week or so I blended them together until I achieved the right amount of bitterness. If thats a bit too much work just keep your eyes peeled for <a href="http://feebrothers.com/Product.asp?Category=5">Fee Brothers bitters</a>. They make very delicious & very unique bitters.Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-37467416340878848002011-12-06T19:06:00.001-08:002011-12-06T19:07:32.015-08:00The Cocktail Scene in MemphisCheck out my latest article <a href="http://www.memphismagazine.com/Memphis-Magazine/October-2011/With-a-Twist/">here</a>.
It's a quick look at the cocktail scene in my city. I love this town.Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67328517674055289.post-62349669566870536572011-12-05T10:37:00.001-08:002011-12-05T10:58:21.231-08:00It's Time For a Drink<blockquote></blockquote>Anyone who knows me or reads my other blog <a href="http://midtownstomp.blogspot.com/">Midtown Stomp</a> knows that I love cocktails. Not only the drinking of them but more importantly the crafting of them. I love the creative side of it & especially the artisan edge it takes to truly craft a spectacular drink. This new blog will be an exploration of that. </blockquote>
<blockquote></blockquote>Recently I crafted specialty drinks for Tsunami's Holiday Artist Market. My mindset when creating the drinks was this: Holiday spice.
One of the most unique & flavorful spirits on the market today is St Elizabeth's Allspice Dram. I know. Allspice is perfect for the holidays. The first thing I thought of when I tasted it was Christmas. The second thing I thought of was Bourbon. Specifically a Manhattan.
<blockquote><i>Xmas in Manhattan</i> </blockquote>
<blockquote>2.5 oz Bourbon (either Buffalo Trace or Maker's Mark)</blockquote>
<blockquote>.5 oz St Elizabeth's Allspice Dram</blockquote>
<blockquote>1 oz Sweet Vermouth (either Dolin or Martini & Rossi)</blockquote>
<blockquote>2 dashes homemade Allan Benton Bacon Bitters</blockquote>
<blockquote>2 Dashes Regan's Orange Bitters</blockquote>
<blockquote>Garnish with either a bourbon poached cherry or a clove studded orange peel
</blockquote>
To prepare this drink add the ingredients (aside from the garnish) to an ice filled shaker. Shake until chilled. Pour into either a martini coupe or a rocks glass. Flame the orange peel over the glass & drop in. If you garnish with the cherry skewer it first & drop it in the glass.
Michael Hugheshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11593120496257449050noreply@blogger.com0